With evolving licensing models, multi-year commitments, and rapidly changing cloud pricing, Microsoft renewals are becoming even more complex. Many organisations underestimate how much value can be gained through expert negotiation, choosing instead to navigate the process alone. However, Microsoft negotiation specialists can bring clarity, strategy and significant cost savings to every stage of your renewal.
This article explores exactly what Keystone Negotiation brings to the table, how we can strengthen your negotiation position, and the key moments when organisations should consider engaging our expert support.
6 reasons why Microsoft renewals are so challenging:
When approaching Microsoft renewal negotiations, internal IT and procurement teams can feel uncertain about the true value of their agreement and how to secure the best terms.
- Multiple ecosystems: EA, MCA, Azure MACC, Unified Support - each with unique rules and pricing structures.
- Regular changes to product bundles, licensing frameworks and incentive models.
- Wide product portfolio spanning desktop software, security, AI, on-prem servers, cloud services and add-ons.
- Legacy licences are complicating transitions to modern subscriptions.
- Unnecessarily complex licensing guidance.
- Limited compliance safeguards creating risks if licensing is misunderstood.
When is it time to bring in a Microsoft negotiation expert?
These are some common issues organisations face that signify it's time to employ an expert:
- Your Enterprise Agreement expiry is in the next 12 months.g.
- You’re planning a major migration (Azure, M365, Dynamics).
- Internal teams lack specialist licensing expertise.
- Microsoft costs are adding up without more business value.
- Organisational changes (mergers, divestitures, growth) require restructuring licences.
- There’s uncertainty about whether your enterprise is over- or under-licensed.
Keystone Negotiation - what we do
As professional Microsoft negotiators, Keystone Negotiation delivers expert guidance and structured commercial outcomes throughout the renewal process by:
- Performing a thorough review of your existing agreements and isolating opportunities for cost reduction.
- Analysing real usage to find over-licensing, redundant licences, or optimisation options.
- Benchmarking prices and concessions achieved across similar industries and organisation sizes.
- Developing a tailored negotiation strategy aligned to your business goals and risk appetite.
- Leading or supporting negotiations directly with Microsoft account teams.
- Helping manage compliance, governance and contract risks.
- Providing clarity on Microsoft pricing models, discounting structures and commercial levers.
Now, let's look at the strategic benefits of engaging an expert early
When you engage Microsoft negotiators early, it gives you time for data analysis, stakeholder alignment and scenario modeling. It gives you leverage to negotiate before Microsoft sets its internal pricing posture.
Getting in early also helps you avoid last-minute decisions that could lock you into unnecessary costs for the next 3-5 years, gives you more flexibility to consider cloud optimisation or licensing redesigns, and ensures your negotiation strategy is proactive, not reactive.
The advantages of working with Keystone Negotiation
Keystone Negotiation is the best choice for Microsoft renewal negotiations. We have completed more than 200 negotiations worldwide and achieved some of the largest discounts globally for Microsoft 365 negotiations, as well as Azure, Dynamics and Unified Support.
At Keystone, we are independent, receiving no Microsoft incentives - so no bias. Our custom, data-driven strategies are tailored to each enterprise, and our global experience includes Microsoft negotiation from $4 million to $1.2 billion across multi-year terms.
Get in touch today to maximise the value of your Microsoft renewal!